I'm not a miracle worker, I just play one on TV.
Ok, so I'm not on TV and I certainly don't consider myself a miracle worker,
but I have been called one.
I've also been called the "widow maker" and, as far as I know,
I am not responsible for anyone's death.
I'm a professional home stager in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I assist people in preparing their homes for sale. Now, New Hampshire isn't exactly the hub of home staging.
For many people here, staging is no more than a TV show on HG-TV. Making a living at home staging on the Seacoast...well, that may take a little while. That's ok, because it is just a matter of time before staging becomes the real estate standard and besides, I really love what I do. For now, the ones who understand the benefits of staging have the competitive edge.
Getting back to the "miracle worker" title...I bet you think it comes from sellers who are impressed with the transformation after their home is staged. Well there have been a couple of times when Realtors have declared a staging "nothing short of a miracle." But, that isn't it at all.
The name comes from my amazing ability to get husbands to do things that their wives have had no success in getting them to do. (Removing, repairing, replacing and moving things.)
You know that look a woman gets when she asks her husband to move the sofa to a different wall or the eye roll when she reminds him that the porch needs to be replaced?
Well here's the thing...for the most part, when a stager says it needs to be done, it somehow registers as needing to be done, and more importantly, it is done willingly.
It's a power that, I must admit, I rather enjoy!
It's the grateful wives that have named me a miracle worker.
One glitch...my super powers don't work at home...my own husband is immune.
So, what about "widow maker?"
A very nice man named Bob gave me that title. Bob, a client who after a two hour staging consultation in which we moved most of his furniture, believed he was surely going to die, leaving his wife a widow. Bob survived and his house sold, and his little pet name for me remains my favorite.
I'm no miracle worker and there is nothing miraculous about staging... no secret or magic. It's a pretty simple concept...clean it up and increase it's perceived value. If it makes the best impression on buyers, it will sell.
Some houses need more attention than others, but the hard work won't kill you and the end result could be a faster sale and much more money in your pocket. Whether you choose to do it yourself, bring in a stager for reinforcement and guidance, or have a professional stager prepare your house, the bottom line is that preparation is key in today's market.
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